Artificial limb.



No. 667,534. Patented Feb. 5, I90I.

W. H. KIMBALL.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

[Application filed Sept. 8, 1900.)

(No Model.)

IlNitE-D S reams ATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM H. KIMBALL, OF TALLAPOOSA, GEORGIA.

ARTIFICIAL LIIVIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,534, dated February 5, 1901.

Application filed September 8, 1900. Serial No. 29,408. N model.)

To mZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. KIMBALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tallapoosa, in the county of Haralson and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to artificial limbs; and its object is to provide an improved lining for the socket portion of the limb which receives the stump and contacts with the skin, whereby the absorption of perspiration and the consequent fouling of the li1nb,which is offensive and deleterious to health, Will be avoided.

The improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification, and its novel features will be defined in the appended claim.

The drawing represents an artificial leg, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section.

The invention is applicable to both legs and arms and is not restricted to any special style or make of artificial limbs, the form shown in the drawing being adapted for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The referencenumeral 1 designates the lower portion of the limb,comprising the calf and foot, and 2 is the upper section or socket, which receives the stump and may be of any desired shape and size to conform to the shape and length of the stump.

3 designates the lining of the socket, which is the gist of the invention, and consists of a thin sheet or sheets of non-corrosive metal, as tin-foil, aluminium, or other like metal. The lining is applied by first coating the inner surface of the socket and one side of the tin-foil or metallic sheet with any suit able adhesive material, such as shellac. The coated surfaces are then subjected to a moderate degree of heat for the purpose of evaporating the volatile elements of the adhesive material, after which the strips or sheets are applied to the coated or varnished surface of the socket and burnished or pressed down with a hot iron. A single thickness of the metallic lining will sufiice; but, if preferred, two or more layers or thicknesses of the lining may be applied.

I am aware that it has been proposed heretofore to line the sockets of artificial limbs with cork or like porous materials and that removable linings have been employed; but my invention is distinguished from the prior art in that my lining is entirely non-porous and may readily be applied to sockets of any shape or size, making the improvement available for all classes of artificial limbs.

l/Vhile I have found tin-foil to be well adapted for the purpose in view, I would have it understood that the invention is not restrict ed to any particular metallic sheets or strips, but includes all such thin metallic substances as may be found to be adapted for the purpose, and, as above stated, the improvement is equally applicable to legs or arms.

I claim-- As an article of manufacture, an artificial limb having its socket lined with a metallic strip or sheet secured to the surface of the socket by an adhesive agent.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM H. KIMBALL.

Witnesses:

O. E. HEAD, M. A. GREENE. 

